Klopp eyes Champions League glory after title pain

LIVERPOOL

Jürgen Klopp has challenged Liverpool to use the pain of its failed Premier League title bid as fuel to finish a remarkable season with Champions League glory.

Liverpool fell one point short of winning its first league title since 1990 as Manchester City pipped Klopp’s side on the final day of the season.

Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Wolves was rendered irrelevant by City’s 4-1 victory at Brighton, leaving the Anfield faithful frustrated after it briefly appeared they might witness two football miracles in the space of a week.

May 7’s astonishing 4-0 win against Barcelona, which overturned a 3-0 first-leg deficit and sent Liverpool to its second successive Champions League final, was one of the greatest nights in the club’s history.

And when Sadio Mane put Liverpool ahead early on against Wolves and City fell behind to Glenn Murray’s goal, another unthinkable dream was about to become reality.

That tantalizing moment lasted only a matter of seconds, however, as Sergio Aguero equalized for City, which went onto shatter Liverpool’s hopes with a ruthless goal-spree.

It was cruel on Liverpool, which secured 30 wins and 97 points, setting a standard that would have secured the title in any year but the last two, with Pep Guardiola’s sensational City amassing 100 points 12 months ago and 98 this term.

Yet Klopp insists his players won’t dwell on their agonizing near-miss for long because they have a chance for redemption in the Champions League final against Tottenham in Madrid on June 1.

“We have qualified for the Champions League final. That is special. This team is one of the best that ever played for Liverpool, 100 percent,” Klopp said.

“If I would start telling you all the positive things about this team we would be here until an hour before the Champions League final.

“This club is in the best moment for a long time and it will not end because another team has one more point.

“If we are ready to make the next step, we will. That is the plan from tomorrow.”